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Jude 1:3, 20-25. Pastor Rick’s Study Notes and Small Group Questions

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

Jude vv. 3, 20-25

v. 3 Beloved, I’ve been very eager to write to you about the salvation we share and especially the need to urge you to stand up for the faith that one time for all has been entrusted to those set apart and made holy by God.

v. 20 You who are beloved, build yourselves up in the purist things of your faith; keep praying in the Holy Spirit.

*v. 21 Remain in God’s love and keep anticipating the mercy and kindness of Jesus Christ our Lord leading toward eternal life.

v. 22 Show a patient kindness to those who are struggling to believe.

v. 23 But to others, pull them up from the fires and pull them toward a right relationship with God; still others, show them compassion even as you despise and shudder at their lives sullied by their sinful nature cut off from God.

v. 24 And to Him who is able to keep each of you from stumbling, standing blameless and celebrating in the presence of His glory;

v. 25 To the only God, our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord, yours is the splendor, majesty, power and dominion before time began, until now, and through all the ages. Amen.

v. 3 Beloved, I’ve been very eager to write to you about the salvation we share and especially the need to urge you to stand up for the faith that one time for all has been entrusted to those set apart and made holy by God.

Those who are loved. It seems that Jude, James’ brother and the half-brother of Jesus, had been eager to write this gathering of Christians about their shared redemption in Christ Jesus; but the urgency is made all the more crucial by the news of selfish and wicked people seeking to hijack the faith. The salvation shared is the “koine” or common salvation, that is, common to all. He writes to the saints. Hagios. We who are His have this incredible trust given, to make Jesus known to the next generation. It can also be noted that this is the same Jude mentioned in the Gospels who sought to take Jesus home fearing he’d lost his mind and mocked him for not going to Jerusalem earlier like others who wanted to be seen and heard. Jude is the last mentioned when Jesus’ half-brothers are listed, so probably the baby brother.

“The faith” is that core set of beliefs that by now had become the “kerygma” and the “beliefs.” Delivered or Entrusted.

The “stand” is for the Faith and at the same time against the preceding: 1) choosing a lifestyle that contradicts the holiness of God (v. 4) or “I am opposed to what doesn’t affirm my feelings or identity”2) following what feels good instead of what is faithful and right and the reign of individual expression or “I am what I feel” (vv. 9-11), 3) grasping for power and influence – the reign of personal power or “I am what I control” (vv. 16-19). Summary: power, sex, expressive individualism. In the culture, these three lead to destruction; in the church, they lead to splits, shame, and spiritual death.

v. 20 You who are beloved, build yourselves up in the purist things of your faith; keep praying in the Holy Spirit.

Again, beloved. We are responsible for doing what is needed to build ourselves up in the practical working out of our beliefs the Father delivered to us. This use of “pistis” is the practical, live by faith; contrast this with verse three, “the faith.”  And to build up, we need the most holy things that make our faith so powerful. Knowing what our faith is built on is essential. Praying in the Spirit is needed. The reflexive “yourself” leads the next verse and but goes with “keeping yourself” or remaining in God’s love instead of here.

v. 21 Remain in God’s love and keep watching with anticipation for the mercy and kindness of Jesus Christ our Lord leading toward eternal life.

This is the kind of waiting and anticipating that is both expectant for a positive outcome and looking to receive what is needed; in this case, God’s mercy poured out that will take us toward eternity. Note the triune implications in these two verses: praying in the Holy Spirit, Remaining in God (the Father’s love), and looking for the mercies of Jesus the Son.

v. 22 Show a patient kindness to those who are struggling to believe.

The word for doubt is a complicated word again reflexive meaning doubting or hesitating, but for good reason in considering and trying to decide. Mercy, or patient kindness, is due to that person.

v. 23 But to others, pull them from the fires and pull them toward a right relationship with God; still others, show them compassion even as you despise and shudder at their lives sullied by their sinful nature cut off from God.

Again, Jude uses words that are hard to translate word-for-word with just one word. Rescue them by snatching them from the fire and toward God. The word means from something toward something in the rescue. Even more graphic, show compassion and mercy to those who are stained by a life without God. He is saying that we love the person, even though we might recoil from the sin.

v. 24 And to Him who is able to keep each of you from stumbling, standing blameless with joyful celebrating in the presence of His glory;

Able as in powerful enough to keep us on our feet and standing at attention exulting and celebrating in joy because we are in God’s presence.

v. 25 To the only God, our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord, yours is the splendor, majesty, power and dominion before time began, until now, and through all the ages. Amen.

This is one of several early “doxologies” that developed as a way of praising God at the end of one’s words. Four-fold praise here; seven-fold in Revelation.

Small Group Questions:

Jude 1

  1. Jude was the brother of James and half-brother to Jesus. He is one of Mary’s kids. What does it mean to  you to know that Jude came to believe that Jesus is both Savior and Lord (read verse 24-25)?
  2. What is the difference between “the Faith” and “your personal walk of faith?” How can you build up your “Faith” and your “faith” in 2023?
  3. Have  you ever gone through a time of doubting and struggling to believe? What helped settle you struggle and doubt?
  4. Have you ever been where your life choices left you far from God? What or who pulled you back toward the Father?
  5. How can we pray for you?

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes: Matthew 5:13-16 The Salt and Light Life

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(PRT) Matthew 5:13-16

v. 13 You are the salt of the earth! If, however, it becomes stale and unsavory how can it become useful salt again; its salty strength is gone, only useful to be dumped out along the pathway for people to trample on.

v. 14 You are the light of the world! It’s not possible to hide a city built on a hilltop;

v. 15 Neither do people kindle a lamp and set it aside under a bowl or hidden behind a basket. Instead, they set it on the lamp pedestal, so it shines out for everyone who is in the house.

v. 16 In the same way, let your light shine out where people are so that they might see your beautiful deeds and they will give praise to your Father in heaven.

Pastor Rick’s Notes:

v. 13 You are the salt of the earth! If, however, it becomes stale and unsavory how can it become useful salt again; its salty strength is gone, only useful to be dumped out along the pathway for people to trample on.

You singular as in each of you, listen, you and you and you are the salt, are the light. This is throughout these verses. Jesus is speaking to each person in an intimate way, calling out their potential found in following Him.

This is an either/or illustration. Jesus doesn’t hold out the option to be a dim flicker or a barely salty salt. We are the light; we are the salt. The world counts on it and the Kingdom sends us to it.

Salt typically is very stable and doesn’t break down; but it can deteriorate in its usefulness if around water, or other elements. He is talking about the taste, but much more. Salt is a preservative. Stops decay. A healing agent. Brings taste to life. But if it becomes stale, it becomes the waste thrown into the pathway.

Some salts can lose effectiveness and savor; this would be spilled out on the walkways when it rained to keep people from slipping.

v. 14 You are the light of the world! It’s not possible to hide a city built on a hilltop;

Jesus is using hyperbole here. How ludicrous that someone would imagine making invisible the city that is built on top of a hill?

Likewise, can you imagine someone full of His light who, when out with people, doesn’t shine?

Philippians 2:15 – we are luminaries lighting the way to the Savior for a world to follow.

v. 15 Neither do people kindle a lamp and set it aside under a bowl or hidden behind a basket. Instead, they set it on the lamp pedestal, so it shines out for everyone who is in the house.

If they light the wick and the oil starts to burn from the lamp, it’s a waste to hide it behind stuff or place a bowl over it. Logically, we light our lamps and place them so all can see.

Interesting parallel: In Matthew, the Gospel to the Jews, he says the light is for every “in the house;” Luke says “for those who are entering in” meaning the nations, true to his Gospel’s purpose and audience to make the Gospel plain to the Gentiles.

For wealthy residences, there may be a lampstand that can be moved around. Jesus had been to wealthy homes before. For most homes, especially in the countryside, there would be a pedestal stone built to stick out where the clay lamp could be placed after lighting so all could see each other. Finding that “pedestal” or “lamp placement” is the sweet spot for the Christian. Where best to place a light than in the middle of a dark place?

v. 16 In the same way, let your light shine out where people are so that they might see your beautiful deeds and they will give praise to your Father in heaven.

Some may have a problem reconciling this with a later passage when Jesus says to do what you do and give and pray without others seeing you. In this passage, we do our “beautiful deeds” for people, and those around see God at work – we point praise where it’s due.

Small Group Study Questions:

  1. Where have you been when it was the most dark? What was it like?
  2. If salt draws attention to where it is scattered, what do we draw attention to when we are scattered as “the salt of the earth?”
  3. If light shines on what needs to be seen, what does the beautiful deed we do today shine on?
  4. As the light of the world, where is the best place for you to make an impact on dark places?
  5. Who in your life is hurting today and you need us to be salt to help with healing?

What Disciples of Jesus Need (Part Two)

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Maybe you, like I, can have an issue with others telling me what I need, too – especially if I haven’t had a chance to decide for myself. But if you are a follower of Christ, it’s likely that you have thought about what it means to be His… and follow Him. These paragraphs can maybe help put words to these thoughts and longings.

Every follower of Jesus needs to meld. A strange word to put into a spiritual context, but stay with the rationale. To meld means to mingle, mix it up, or combine. It relates to two primary industries: metal-smithy and whiskey-making. Both use it to describe mixing unique elements to create something stronger than the individual parts. One creates very practical and concrete results; the other… well, let’s say random and less practical.

I need to meld my life with others. I am better and live the life of “Christ-in-me” with more consistency when I spend time with a small group of other followers. What I am made of somehow brings strength to them; and they make me stronger.

This need for melding landed hard on my life one day when I was at a funeral of a friend. One day, I was sitting next to my friend and his wife – Susan and I in dress-casual, they in full leathers and colors related to their biker group. Three days later, I am sitting in the balcony of a church, watching the ushers wheel in his casket. I watched as fifty or more bikers filed in to the center seats, and realized I was alone. I knew no one well; and worse, no one knew me.

Plato wrote, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” The Psalmist says: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” I examined my life and realized I needed some people around me who knew me, loved me, examined me, and “watched my back” as I sought to progress in my journey with Christ.

Whatever I call my group: small group, Sunday School, Life Group, Cell Group, or “Can-We-Meet-For-A-Coffee Group;” as a follower of Jesus, I need a group. I’m known, I fit, I can learn to use my gifts and “experiment” in learning to love and serve like Christ. Most of all, when I mix it up with these guys who are committed to me, I am stronger.

The Need? A place to meld with others. The Kingdom activity? I get to be involved in Kingdom service and relationships. And when I buy into this whole “melding” need, I get to see the activity and compassion of God in others… and this pleases Him.

By the way, every other week, I meet (read: meld) with a group of around eight others who are committed to be followers of Christ. It’s what a disciple needs.

Mixing it up,
Rick